


Pokemon Conquest: Flame of Hope

by Mephilia_Venus



Series: FoH universe [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pokemon + Nobunaga no Yabou | Pokemon Conquest, Samurai Warriors
Genre: F/F, F/M, fear not side characters you are my children now
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-19
Updated: 2018-02-18
Packaged: 2018-11-15 11:34:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 18,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11230089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mephilia_Venus/pseuds/Mephilia_Venus
Summary: Okuni knows better than most how easily the world can change overnight. In her line of work, one gets used to watching it happen. So when an old enemy forgotten by history threatens Ransei six months after the region's unification, she can't share her fellow warriors' surprise. But unlike what she's fought in the past, this army wants far more than a castle, and the secretive priestess on the run from their commander isn't helping. When they meet on the battlefield, it may just fall to one dancer (and several unlikely allies) to bring the kingdoms together once more in order to protect everything they hold dear.





	1. Prologue

_"An interesting proposal. But what would you be willing to give me in exchange for your freedom?"_

_The battered, broken girl slowly raised her head to meet the woman's dark eye, even as the flames began to once more lick hungrily at her bare legs. "Anything."_

### Prologue

For one single day, all of Ransei was completely calm. Resting atop the roof of Spectra's castle, Okuni gave a contented sigh as she gazed out at the sunset. It wasn't the first of such panoramas she had taken in during her life, but even with her personal bias concerning the Ghost kingdom, Okuni felt this was definitely one of the best. From her perch, her back was to the castle's infamous cemetery and battlefield, and she had an unbroken view of the dark pine forests that made up most of the kingdom. In the distance, she could even see the mountains that formed Spectra's border with Dragnor silhouetted on the horizon, and three blimps flying various banners had already soared overhead, adding to the picturesque view. 

It had been six months since Ransei's unification under Lady Rei, and true to the promises of the legends, there had been a peacetime unrivaled by any other documented point in history. Okuni had plans to view this for herself; Lady No had requested that her junior warlord travel among the seventeen kingdoms and document the changes they had undergone since the blessing of the Legendary Pokemon had been restored. Exactly why her lady wanted this information, Okuni wasn't quite sure, but she was happy to have an excuse to stretch her legs. It wasn't that she disliked her permanent residence in Spectra, but after three years, waking up in the same place every morning could get dull compared to the much longer amount of time Okuni had spent independently traveling from kingdom to kingdom. 

As the shadows of twilight lengthened, Okuni had begun to climb down when something in the distance caught her eye. Dark storm clouds were gathering over Dragnor, and as she looked closer, she caught the distinctive flash of lightning. _"It's a good thing I won't be going in that direction tomorrow,"_ Okuni shuddered. _"I hate traveling on muddy roads."_

She leisurely slid her way down the rest of the roof to the overhang that marked the fourth-floor balcony and dropped over the side, swinging onto the wooden walkway encircling the castle's top floor. November nights were chilly this far north, especially when the wind was coming from Nixtorm, and she welcomed the warmth of the castle hallways. Okuni still preferred real flames to the eerie blue of the ghost fires however, and always saw to it that some were burning in her room during the colder months. 

Before retiring for the night though, Okuni had made it a habit to report the day's events to Lady No. Walking to the end of the corridor, Okuni reached the large double doors that marked the entrance to the Ghost warlord's private rooms. She gently rapped on the door frame, and after a moment, heard a call of, "Come in." 

Entering the room, Okuni seated herself on the floor across from Lady No. The Ghost warlord's hair fell freely past her chest in loose waves tonight, and in place of her normal yukata, she wore an amethyst-colored silk robe. In the corner of the room, Okuni could see Mismagius floating beside a vanity, watching the proceedings. 

"Tea?" Lady No asked, folding up the note she had been writing. Okuni nodded, reaching for one of the cups already resting on the table. She caught a faint scent of roses and oranges as she poured herself a drink, and smiled to herself. Brewing Okuni's favorite kind of tea was equivalent to a grand parade in terms of send-offs from Lady No. After they had both drunk from their cups, Lady No remarked, "I take it you're here to deliver your daily report?" 

Okuni nodded. "Yes, although on most fronts, there's not much _to_ report. Merchants are saying that the roads have never been safer, the treasury has always been secure since you became warlord, and you don't need me to tell you that politically-wise, we don't have any enemies." Okuni hesitated for a moment before breaching the next subject on her mind. "Ah, if you don't mind me asking, how are the spirits doing?" 

Lady No took another sip of her tea before responding. "Well, they have been slightly more restless over the past several days, although that could simply be due to the approach of the full moon. I'm hardly in any danger of losing control over them, but it is tedious having to deal with rebellious ghosts, especially when there are so many other things I could be doing." 

Nervously swallowing down the last of her tea, Okuni set the cup back on the table. "Oh, I see. Is that all?" 

Lady No nodded. "You are dismissed. I expect you'll want to finish packing if you plan to leave at first light." 

Making to exit the room, Okuni nevertheless halted for a moment at the doorway. _"Should I mention something about that storm I saw over Dragnor?"_ She shook her head, dismissing the thought and closing the door behind her before Lady No could take note of her pause. _"I have no reason to. Storms are always brewing this time of year, after all."_

Upon entering her room across the hall, Okuni was immediately greeted by the happy cries of her own partner Pokemon. "Why, good evening, you two!" Reaching into one of her pockets, she retrieved several berries she had purchased from the market earlier that day. "Eat up, we've got a big day tomorrow! And Scolipede, do kindly share with Larvesta this time!" The berries vanished from her hand within a matter of seconds, and soon both of her partners were curled up contentedly on the floor. "Just one last thing," Okuni murmured, opening the trunk at the foot of her bed. _"Where did I put them... Aha!"_

They were a bit wrinkled, but hopefully that wouldn't affect their power too much. Spirit-repelling charms made by Okuni herself, and she was proud to say that (at least as far as she could tell) they did their job well. _"Since I won't be able to help keep the more restless spirits in check until I'm back, these will have to do."_

Okuni was suddenly hit with a wave of exhaustion, and changed out of her day clothes into a plain white yukata without fuss. Sliding into bed, her last thought before giving herself over to sleep was, _"I have to remember to check in with Setsuna once I get to Valora..."_

~*~ 

What exactly woke her that night, Okuni would never quite be able to tell. But as she sat up in bed and felt the overwhelming current of energy charging the atmosphere, any thoughts of sleep were instantly cleared from her mind. Okuni stepped out onto her balcony, breathing in the cool autumn air. _"Maybe that storm I saw over Dragnor is making its way south."_

As she thought this, a faint flicker of silver at the corner of her vision caught her attention. Okuni's eyes lit up as she turned towards the southwest road. _"A meteor shower!"_ It wasn't her first, but she hadn't had this good a view of one in some time. Humming a slow, regal-sounding tune that came to her on the spot, Okuni watched the silver streaks of light dash across the night sky for what may have been minutes or hours. _"I could make this into a dance if I wanted to."_

Eventually though, Okuni had to turn her back on the night and return to her bed. At the time, she couldn't have known that she was one of the only people in Ransei to have seen the meteor shower, or that its true nature was something so much larger. She couldn't have known that Lady No had also been awoken by the charge it had brought to the air, and also watched the stars fall from the sky. And neither woman saw every fragment of light collect just before dawn, nor the silver ripple that spread across the landscape when they all met. No being in Ransei saw what was left behind when day finally broke and the last of the stars flickered out.


	2. Chapter 1

"All set, you two?" Both of her Pokemon let out happy cries, and Okuni smiled.

"Great! I am too!" Even at the edge of the city, Spectra's castle could be seen silhouetted against the rising sun, and Okuni turned back to look at it one more time. _"Here's hoping things don't get too gloomy around here while I'm gone!"_

Having done this many times before, Okuni knew how to travel light. The majority of her clothes had been left in her room at the castle. All she tended to bring on trips of this nature were two or three spare outfits, a yukata for festivals, and (in case an opportunity were to present itself) a performing costume that better suited her dances than her everyday clothes. These, along with extra food and money, had been carefully packed and stored inside her rolled-up tent, which was now tied on top of Scolipede's back.

Tossing her two partner Pokemon some food, Okuni mentally went over her travel route one final time. _"Since I'm leaving early and traveling alone, I should be able to make it to Valora within a couple of days. I'll save Nixtorm and Dragnor for the return journey and then make for Avia. Once I'm there, I'll decide on whether I go to Cragspur, Yaksha, or Viperia next."_

Okuni felt Larvesta nudge against her leg, and giggled. "You're right, no point in standing around."

Slinging her parasol over her shoulder, she began humming a song with a tempo she felt set a good walking pace. Okuni traveled down the road in this manner for several hours without incident, until the pine trees that had been thickly clustered on both sides of the path just outside the city slowly began to thin. The sun had risen directly overhead when the sound of raised voices further ahead finally caused her to stop.

_"That doesn't sound like other travelers."_ Slowing her pace, Okuni caught sight of three men and their Pokemon slightly ahead of her, surrounding a girl. Narrowing her eyes, Okuni motioned to Scolipede and Larvesta, and all three of them darted into the forest lining the road before they could be noticed. Now free to creep closer without the risk of being seen, Okuni gauged the situation.

Physically, the girl looked to be about the same age as Okuni; a year younger at most, although a few inches shorter. She wore a white, sleeveless dress that was definitely not suited for traveling, along with matching sleeves in the same style as the ones Lady No often wore. The neckline of the dress and hems of the sleeves were decorated with black embroidery, and around her waist was a slender belt that looked to be made of real gold. Easily her most striking feature was her thick, snowy white hair that fell in waves to her knees. In her hands was a gilded headpiece, which she was struggling to keep out of the grasp of the man nearest to her. There were no Pokémon anywhere near the girl, leaving her completely isolated. Okuni crept forward a bit more, straining to make out what was unfolding before her.

"Listen, we don't want trouble. Just hand that pretty trinket over and things don't have to get messy." The Arbok at the man's side hissed menacingly, and the other two men behind him crossed their arms. Their own Pokemon, a Meowth and a Krokorok, were also staring the girl down. She took a step back, as though to run, but the first man grabbed her by the wrist, forcing her to drop the circlet.

Okuni had seen enough. _"Just when I thought Spectra had seen the last of bandits like these three, too."_

"Stay hidden for now," she whispered to Scolipede and Larvesta before stepping back onto the road. "Is there a problem, gentlemen?"

All three men whipped around, looking Okuni over. Alarm crossed the face of the one with the Meowth, but the other two had clearly already deemed her to not be a threat.

"Just giving her some directions, miss!" their leader replied. "Nothing of your concern!"

Taking a step closer, Okuni responded with less cordiality, "Oh, but I think it is. After all, I see three of you, picking on one unarmed girl who doesn't even seem to have a Pokemon she can defend herself with. Or is robbing her blind the payment for directions to the nearest city?"

The bandit with the Krokorok moved forward. "He said it's not your concern. Besides, I don't see any weapons or Pokemon on you either. So I'd move along if I were you."

Smiling innocently, Okuni remarked, "I'm afraid that's where you're wrong."

She tapped her foot on the ground twice, and Scolipede and Larvesta emerged from the forest. Opening her parasol, Okuni pressed a hidden button on the handle, and the rows of thin, razor-sharp spikes that she had painstakingly attached to the fabric sprang up from where they usually lay flat, painted to blend in. Okuni had also designed the tip of the hilt to be removable and utilized as a dagger in the event of close combat, but she hadn't had to use that function yet. Raising her voice, she called, "I don't think you deserve a second warning, but I'll give you one anyways. Leave her alone."

The bandit with the Meowth was now shaking his head. "Come on, this isn't worth it," he said to the leader. "I've heard stories about the junior warlord of Spectra, and this girl looks an awful lot like her."

"Quiet!" the taller bandit snapped back. "I don't give a damn who she may or may not be, it's still only one of her and three of us, as she so kindly pointed out! Let's defeat her too and line our pockets a little more!" At this, the three of them turned their backs on the white-haired girl and fanned out around Okuni.

Okuni sighed. "And I do so hate getting my hands dirty." Shifting her feet so that she was poised on her toes, she called out, "Scolipede, Larvesta, let's take care of these brutes!"

Scolipede struck first at the nearest target, the second bandit's Meowth. Venoshock hit it hard, and the Normal-type Pokemon went down almost instantly. Meanwhile, Larvesta engulfed itself in flames and shot towards the third bandit and his Krokorok. Although Okuni's perfect link wasn't as physically strong as Scolipede, the attack was still enough to deal a decent amount of damage to Krokorok, as well as send its human partner running for cover. The Ground Pokemon bared its fangs in preparation to strike back, but Scolipede changed directions and knocked it out from behind with a well-placed Steamroller.

Seeing that the other girl was still rooted in place, Okuni met her eyes and shouted, "Why are you standing around? Get out of here!" The girl blinked, then turned and began to sprint down the road.

Looking over her shoulder, Okuni saw that Scolipede and Larvesta had moved on to the leader's Arbok and were making quick work of it. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the lead bandit trying to charge her from the side. _"Does he really think I'll be caught off guard that easily?"_

With the elegance of a dancer, Okuni spun to meet him - or, rather, her parasol met his arm. The bandit let out a howl of pain as the barbs connected with his unprotected skin, and Okuni pulled the parasol back before it could do too much damage. Loathsome as this man was, she hadn't started this fight with the intention of crippling him.

Closing her parasol, Okuni opted instead for a well-placed kick that knocked the bandit's legs out from under him. His Arbok lay long-since beaten on the road, and Scolipede and Larvesta joined her in leaning over its human partner. Okuni planted her foot firmly on the bandit's back, and a quick glance down the road confirmed that his two companions were already fleeing with their injured Pokemon in tow. The lead bandit made a vain attempt to continue struggling, but Scolipede took over for Okuni, and one of its many legs was all it took to send him sprawling back on the dirt road. Kneeling down, Okuni took his chin in her hand and forced him to look her in the eyes.

"Now," she murmured, her voice dropping to almost a whisper and half an octave in pitch. "I want you to go and spread the word to every other would-be roadside thug in this region that Spectra does not tolerate thieves. And if I ever hear word that you've tried to rob another traveler, I will make sure I mention you to Lady No specifically. Is that understood?" The bandit gulped and nodded.

Standing back up, Okuni beamed at him. "Now, why don't you run along and get some help for your poor Pokemon!" Not looking back, the man scrambled away, his Arbok slowly slithering after him.

When they were gone, Okuni let out a great sigh, looking up at the treetops. _"What was that? Has Lady No has been rubbing off on me?"_

As she moved to check Scolipede and Larvesta for wounds, a flash of white caught Okuni's eye. The girl from before had returned. Approaching her, Okuni held out her hand. The girl was hesitant for a moment, but then smiled and took it. As she did so, Okuni was struck by the molten amber color of her eyes, with just a hint of emerald green flecks in the center.

"Thank you, for helping me," the girl nervously began. "I was caught off guard, and they had me surrounded before I could do anything. This is my first time traveling on my own, and like they said, I don't actually have a Pokemon…"

Okuni took in the girl's out-of-place clothing, combined with this information, and the pieces fell together. "Oh, I see! You're a priestess of Arceus, aren't you?" The priestesses were the closest thing that Ransei had to an organized religion. They had a temple in each of Ransei's major cities, where acolytes were trained from a young age to devote their lives to the creation Pokemon.

The girl blinked. "Is it obvious?"

Sympathy for her washed over Okuni, who still vividly remembered her own eventful first journey away from home, and how naive she had been. "Well, the outfit is a bit of a tip-off. First time out of the temple on your own?"

The girl nodded, speaking quickly. "Yes. I'm from the Aurora temple. I, ah, hadn't left since they took me in as a baby, so the high priestess decided to send me to the Valora temple so that I could see more of Ransei. But when I got to the airfield... well, it's embarassing, but I suppose I boarded the wrong blimp since I wound up in Dragnor instead. I know I could have just caught another one, but I am supposed to be broadening my worldview, and I figured it wouldn't be more than a few days' walk, so… here I am." She looked down, uncertainty in her eyes.

Okuni had made up her mind. "Well, I'm heading in that direction too, as it turns out! How about we travel together? I wouldn't mind a human companion."

Surprise registered on the girl's face. "Really? I think I would be more of a burden..."

"Nonsense!" Okuni insisted. "After what happened back there, I wouldn't feel right leaving you on your own."

Biting her lip nervously, the other girl took a moment to think. "Well, if you're absolutely sure... I suppose I should know your name?"

"Okuni! I'm not really from anywhere, although I guess you could say I've been based out of Spectra for the last few years."

"Oh, so it's true? You are this kingdom's junior warlord?"

Laughing uncomfortably, Okuni rubbed at her arm. Did everyone in Ransei know about her position? "Yes, I am. Don't worry, I don't bite!"

Brushing her long hair out of her eyes, the girl laughed as well. "That's good to know! And I'm Hoshiko. The temple took me in from an orphanage, so I don't have a last name, but some of the priestesses called me 'Shirokami'. You know, since it means 'white hair'."

Eyeing Hoshiko's snowy hair, Okuni couldn't help but feel it was a fitting nickname. A low rumbling cut thought the air, and Okuni giggled upon realizing it was her new companion's stomach. "We can eat before we get going, if you'd like. I was about to stop for lunch anyways before all of that commotion happened."

Hoshiko blushed, but quickly regained her composure. "Well, if you really don't mind. And I suppose it will be nice to have someone else to travel with."

"I'm not worried!" Okuni grinned. "I think we're going to get along just fine!"

In the nearly six years she had been Spectra's warlord, No had developed the philosophy of never being content with simply holding power. She preferred to radiate it. While it certainly helped that the nature of her relationship with Nobunaga had always been more intimate than simply one of his generals, No had never wanted that to be the only reason she held the loyalty of the warriors serving under her.

\------

As the warlord of Spectra, No held the duty of ruling over both the living and the spirit inhabitants of the Ghost kingdom. The former were relatively easy to deal with, especially since she had employed Okuni. The latter required a more specific approach that only No could carry out.

At the very edge of the castle boundaries, past the battlefield, was a small shrine. No's very first order upon taking leadership of Spectra had been its rebuilding. Almost everyone who knew of its existence assumed it was the same as any other of its kind. Only a handful of people in all of Ransei knew its true purpose.

No had found that the best time to visit this shrine was between midnight and dawn, but a nagging feeling had taken hold in the back of her mind ever since her conversation with Okuni the night before. By midday, she had found herself unable to wait any longer. It was normal for spirits of both humans and Pokemon to grow more energetic with the approach of the full moon, but their recent behavior didn't match that description. The best word No could think of was as though they were anticipating something.

Approaching the shrine's entrance with Mismagius floating behind her, No stopped at the threshold. Reaching into her sash, she pulled out a small glass vial filled with a clear perfume. When No uncorked it, the scent of rosemary escaped into the air as she dabbed the oil on both her wrists. Although No had yet to encounter a spirit beyond her abilities to control, it still never hurt to have a protective ward. She did wonder sometimes if it bothered Mismagius, although if so, her partner had never given any indication.

Upon entering the shrine, the lamps inside lit on their own, their flames glowing an otherwordly blue. The only sound was that of No's footsteps on the wooden floor. She had long stopped paying any mind to the shadows on the walls that writhed into all forms of unnatural shapes. At the opposite end of the shrine was a large brazier carved out of onyx. It was in front of this that No knelt, Mismagius hanging back just behind her.

To her left sat a small bowl of silvery-white powder. No gently sprinkled several grains into the bottom of the brazier, where they briefly glowed violet. She drew her hand back just in time to avoid being burned by the vivid purple flames that sprang to life. As No watched, they rose in height until they were nearly brushing the roof of the shrine, and began to bend. Slowly, the silhouette of a middle-aged woman bearing a striking resemblance to No, clad in a black mourning kimono, appeared within the fire. The spirit offered a bow. "Good afternoon, Lady No."

No inclined her head respectfully. "Good afternoon, Lady Hideko."

Hideko straightened, her outline growing fainter for a moment. "Why are you contacting me so early? You know it's easier for me to cross between the human and spirit worlds at night."

"I had a feeling this couldn't wait," No remarked. "But since this inconveniences you so, I'll be brief. Am I right to suspect that the recent spirit activity has more to it than just the lunar cycle?"

Hideko nodded. "Indeed. My duty as your medium between the two worlds can make it difficult for me to earn the trust of some spirits, as they're worried I'll spill all our secrets to you. You'll understand better when you die and become the medium for the next warlord of Spectra. But even I can detect that there has been a recent shift in spirit activity. If even the spirits in Spectra are behaving erratically, it may be of a more sinister nature than I originally thought. Even the Pokemon are acting out, not just the fallen warriors?"

"Yes," No confirmed. "Could a demon have crossed between the realms?"

"It's not entirely out of the question," Hideko admitted. "However, I can usually sense when something that large manages to escape into the human world. All the same, it wouldn't hurt to put the castle Pokemon on alert for one. And I'll check to see that everything is in order on this side as well. One could have managed to slip past me."

"Mismagius and I can handle it if that's all it is," No asserted. "Is there anything else currently within the spirit realm that could affect humans?"

Hideko frowned, looking thoughtful. "Not that I know of…" She shuddered suddenly, as though she had been doused in cold water, and when she spoke next her voice contained a sharp edge. "Put out the fire, No. Another spirit is - trying to - force through!" Her shape in the flames warped, then vanished altogether, to be replaced by the outline of a fortress.

Narrowing her eyes, No recognized the twin lightning rods of Violight's castle. Why was the fire showing her this?

Hideko's warning unheeded, No watched closely. At first, nothing happened, and No made to swipe her hand through the flames when a bright flash filled the image. Even the fire itself seemed to shake - although that had to be a trick of the light. A yawning black hole swallowed the castle whole, then began to twist in on itself, giving the impression of a swirl of hair. Mismagius let out a warning cry as dozens of eyes began to peer out from the fire, foreground to a grisly image of Violight's castle now in ruins. Hideko's voice finally cut through to No. "Please, No, sever the connection!"

No blinked, then grimaced in disgust. "I don't tolerate spirits who refuse to learn their place!" she snapped, holding out her hand. "Hideko, restrain them on your side!"

Mismagius launched a Shadow Ball through the violet flames, extinguishing them instantly. The last thing No saw before they snapped out was the shadowy silhouette of a woman, and the brazier once again emptied.

A rush of wind strong enough to pull several strands of No's hair loose swirled around her, hissing when it came into contact with the rosemary at her wrists. No felt it brush past her and turned, making out a shadowy humanoid shape exiting the shrine that caused the torches standing by the door to sputter as it went past. It could only mean one thing - a powerful, angry spirit had just escaped into Spectra.

For a minute afterwards, both warlord and Pokemon were still. Reflecting on the haywire behavior of the fire, No supposed the most realistic explanation was that a spirit on Hideko's side had decided to create a distraction and escape into the human world. "But if that's the case, why go out of their way to create a divination fire?" she mused out loud. Her only response was a low sound of concern from Mismagius.

Scoffing, No remarked. "You know as well as I do the unlikeliness of that being a real vision." Her partner flapped the tips of its "cloak" irritably, more insistent now.

"Yes, very well," No sighed. "It is so fortunate I have you to act as my conscience. Much as I loathe dealing with that woman, I will inform her of what has passed."

_"On the off chance that vision actually meant any danger for Violight,"_ she mentally added. "Does that satisfy you?" Mismagius gave a small nod.

Exiting the shrine, No thought about the long, likely sleepless night that awaited her. Proper spirit containment was a dreadfully complex process. _"It wouldn't do to start preparations much later than now. Afterwards, the warning to Lady Ginchiyo. Stopping that spirit from doing whatever it pleases in Spectra is more pressing. Whatever potential threats Violight may face will have to wait several more hours."_

\------

At this same moment on the other side of Ransei, a pair of stormy gray eyes belonging to the warlord of Violight snapped open.

The first thing Ginchiyo noticed was how bright her room was - she normally rose before dawn, and the combination of her duties and personal training guaranteed she almost never went to sleep until it was close to midnight. Climbing out of bed, Ginchiyo made her way to the window (having once again slept in her armor, she didn't bother getting dressed). Her eyes widened upon seeing the sun's position in the sky. It was practically noon!

_"Why didn't Muneshige wake me?"_ As if summoned by the string of profanity that followed in Ginchiyo's mind, the door to her room slid open, revealing Muneshige holding two teacups.

"Ah, I see you're awake, Lady Ginchiyo!" he said with a sickeningly sincere smile. "All of those late nights finally caught up with you?"

"That's none of your concern!" Ginchiyo snapped. She always reserved her harshest tones for Muneshige, which was made easier by his unfailingly chipper attitude every morning.

_"I'll never understand what drives him like that,"_ Ginchiyo thought. Eyeing the chipped teacups in her second-in-command's hand, she groaned, "I hope for your sake that's coffee. Maybe then you can explain why you let me sleep until near afternoon."

If he detected the underlying threat, Muneshige didn't let on. "Shipped into Valora direct from the Hoenn region. I ordered a new supply last week. It came in on a blimp this morning."

"And I should have been at the airfield to greet it!" Ginchiyo remarked, snatching the cup from his hand and downing half its contents in one swallow. At the same time, Luxray opened it eyes from where it had been sleeping and raised its head. Ginchiyo's mind began to clear immediately.

"Strong enough for you?"

"Of course! Now explain yourself!"

Muneshige sighed, running a hand through his hair (something he only did when he was trying not to laugh, not that Ginchiyo paid attention to details such as that). "Simple. You normally force yourself out of that bed at an hour most would cringe at just imagining. This is usually after you've had a grand total of four, maybe five hours of sleep if you cut your nightly training short. If you don't mind me saying so, that's not healthy for a person of any age, especially not so for someone as young as you. If I let you keep going on like that, your body could very well quit on you from exhaustion, and if that happens, I'm out of a job. As your junior warlord, I feel part of my duty is to be concerned for your well-being so that doesn't happen."

Ginchiyo blinked, taken aback. She hadn't expected such a thoughtful excuse, and that only served to make even her more irrationally angry. Finishing off the last of her coffee, she slammed the cup onto the tea table and stood, gesturing to Luxray. "Well, don't let it happen again! Now I have to make up for the time I lost this morning and still oversee the training of the new warriors!"

She stalked over to her one sparse dresser and wrapped her fingers around the grip of her father's sword, resting on its top. It, along with the title of warlord, had been Ginchiyo's only inheritance from him, and she never left the castle without it. Sheathing the serrated blade at her right hip, Ginchiyo made for the door, where Muneshige and Staraptor were already waiting. Luxray fell in behind her, its angry prowl a perfect mirror of its partner's.

As they entered the courtyard of Violight's castle, all thoughts of the vivid nightmare that had awoken her were driven from Ginchiyo's mind. For how could she have known that in two other kingdoms at that same moment, the same image of her home in ruins had appeared before two other warriors?


	3. Chapter 2

'The kingdom of crystals' - as the rest of Ransei was now calling Illusio. For Aya, crystals were certainly all she seemed to see anymore.

Less than a week following the unification of Ransei, the inhabitants of Illusio had woken to find that overnight, the crystals that had once been confined to the castle battlefield had grown around the entire city. Amidst the initial confusion, Aya had discovered an old book in the castle library telling of what the blessing of the Legendary Pokemon would bestow upon Illusio were the kingdoms ever to be unified. It seemed that the expansion of the crystals was this effect. While Illusio was one of the only kingdoms to experience a change so drastic, Aya knew all of Ransei had been affected similarly in some way.

Even more curious about the crystals was that they could sustain life. Within a month, numerous gardens had sprung up throughout the city that used crystals instead of soil, and the flowers and foods that grew from them remained thriving even as winter fast approached. As for the palace, its current state could best be described as a floating prism. At the very top, the crystals formed a flat platform that stretched out several yards on all four sides, creating a courtyard of sorts. It was here that Aya had spent countless hours over the past several months. Its even, smooth surface provided the perfect environment for training.

Today, the autumn sunlight shone down on the roof without a cloud in sight. In the center of the courtyard, Aya and Froslass faced their opponents. Kanetsugu's eyes were narrowed in concentration, and even from a distance, Aya could see that Kadabra was similarly tense.

"It is the sign of ultimate connection with your Pokemon when you are able to command them in battle without the need for words," Aya instructed. "For example..."

Simply by closing her eyes, Aya could immediately feel the resonance between herself and Froslass. They had been partners for over ten years, and had come to know each others' thoughts and emotions almost perfectly at any given moment. Just from Aya moving her hand a certain way, Froslass knew whether to unleash Blizzard or Shadow Ball, to dodge an attack or to block one. Now, Aya flicked her fingers slightly to the right, a gesture most opponents would likely overlook entirely. But for Froslass, it was the cue for Icy Wind, and the Pokemon launched the attack with smooth elegance.

Kanetsugu and Kadabra both stood frozen until the last moment. Then, Kadabra teleported out of the way on its own accord, and Aya sighed. She couldn't deny that she was slightly disappointed. This particular lesson was taking longer than usual for her student to master.

"Try again," she commanded. "Avoid feeling like you have to dominate; you should be able to detect Kadabra's emotions on a level equal to yours. Don't be afraid to open your mind. It becomes more difficult for both of you when one of you is blocking the other."

Kanetsugu bowed his head. "Yes, my lady!"

"Good, let's try it again. Even if you can't strike back against me immediately, start by anticipating my attacks so that you can both deflect them."

The warriors and their Pokemon stood at equal distances from one another, each preparing their next move.

_"Icy Wind once more, Froslass,"_ Aya thought. Her partner gave the subtlest of nods. Looking past Froslass, Aya was pleased to see that Kanetsugu had moved into a more natural stance, and that Kadabra looked to be no longer resisting him so strongly. Aya prepared to give Froslass the signal when a jolt ran through her body, as though she had been struck by lightning.

Awful images flashed before her eyes in the span of a heartbeat, but Aya saw each one in vivid detail. Violight's castle in ruins, shadows swirling in the sky, a blood red crescent moon, an otherwordly-looking woman's lips twisting in a triumphant smirk. A high keening echoed in Aya's ears, and she was struck by the sudden odd sensation that if she were to turn around just then, something darker than anything she had ever known would be towering over her. And then it was gone.

Aya blinked, gasping. An odd sensation ran through her body, and looking up, she saw that a Psyshock from Kadabra had successfully hit Froslass. Her partner hadn't suffered much damage, but Psychic attacks had stronger effects on both warrior and Pokemon than most other types. Despite his success, Aya could see the confusion in Kanetsugu's eyes. Normally, she would have at least ordered Froslass to block such an attack.

"My lady, is everything alright?" he asked.

Steadying herself, Aya nodded. "Yes. I'm afraid I didn't sleep very well last night, I'm likely just feeling the effects of that now."

_"There's no sense in concerning him,"_ she thought to herself, returning her attention to the task at hand. "That was definitely an improvement," Aya noted. "I think that's enough for today. I have a matter I need to discuss with Kenshin. We shall continue tomorrow."

Her student bowed once more, averting his eyes as he did so. As Kanetsugu and Kadabra descended back into the castle, Aya found herself unconsciously reaching for the pendant strung around her neck. Pulling it from beneath her kimono, she rolled the small blue stone between her fingers in time with her breathing, as she had done for so many years.

The nightmares had first come when she was fourteen. They held none of the surreal qualities that usually indicated one was dreaming, and as such, Aya had often woken up positive that she had just witnessed the death of someone close to her, or been caught up in a disaster affecting some part of Ransei. When it had reached the point where the nightmares were a nightly occurrence, her mother had bought the pendant for Aya in the city and imbued it with psychic power intended to ward off negative energy. From then on, Aya had almost never taken it off, not even to bathe or sleep most nights. While the nightmares still came from time to time, she now went months, sometimes even years, between them, and the pendant always helped to calm her afterwards.

Two things troubled Aya about what she had just seen. The first was that she knew the feel of her nightmares by now, and that vision had fit them perfectly. But she clearly hadn't been asleep. The best way she could describe it was as though time had frozen so that those images could appear before her without interference.

The second was that her nightmares had a tendency to come true.

\------

"What is it like, living in a castle?"

Okuni looked up from the bags she was untying from Scolipede's back. "Sorry?"

Hoshiko was arranging stones and kindling in a circle for a campfire. They had found a clearing in the forest just off the path as the sun began to set, and decided to set up camp there for the night. Hoshiko elaborated. "You did say you were a junior warlord, didn't you? So, what exactly do you do?"

Tugging the rolled-up tent off of Scolipede, Okuni thought about how to respond for a moment. "Well, Lady No handles all of the actual ruling. I like to think of myself as the link between the castle and the subjects, although I couldn't speak for all of my fellow junior warlords. Most of what I do involves learning what's making the lives of the townspeople and merchants difficult, and reporting that back to Lady No to see if there's anything we can do to fix it. Since we live in Spectra, a lot of the time it's spirits who can't keep their haunting to the graveyard. Fortunately, those are our specialty."

"What is Lady No like, then?" Hoshiko pressed. "I've heard many different things about her. Most seem to think she does well as a warlord, but not everyone approves of the way she took the position. Even some of the other priestesses at the temple say she's only warlord at all because she's Lord Nobunaga's -"

Okuni held out her hand, cutting Hoshiko off.

"Lady No did not sleep her way to the top, if that's what they're implying," she said, irritated. "In Spectra, the title of warlord is handed down by birthright, from mother to daughter. All Lady No did was take back what was rightfully hers. If Lord Nobunaga just so happened to help her do it, that doesn't prove anything."

"Oh no, I didn't mean I thought that!" Hoshiko quickly reassured. "But I've never actually met her, or any warlord other than Lady Rei, so all I know is what I hear. You've been Lady No's junior warlord for a while now, though. What's your perspective?"

Pausing for a moment, Okuni had to consider her response to that.

"The first time I met Lady No," she began slowly, "I remember thinking for a split second that she was some sort of goddess. It was three years ago. I was passing through Spectra during the summer festival and decided to perform and earn some extra money. I drew a large crowd, and there she was at the edge, watching me. Afterwards, I was on the ground collecting money, and someone offered a hand to help pull me up. I took it without giving it much thought, and suddenly I was face-to-face with the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. Just looking at her, I knew there was something about her, you know? Without telling me outright who she was, she complimented my performance, and offered me and my Pokemon a place to stay for the night. Naturally, when that place turned out to be the castle, I pieced it all together."

Of course, this was only the beginning of the story. It had easily been one of the most eventful nights of Okuni's life, but for now, she didn't want to tell Hoshiko too much and give her the wrong idea of what Spectra was like. Okuni decided to settle on a conclusion similar to the one she had told the other junior warlords. "I had planned to leave the next morning, but I suppose something about Lady No just intrigued me. Before I knew it, I had entered her service. There's more to it than that, but the full story takes time for me to tell, and we need to have this tent up and that fire lit by nightfall."

After that, the two girls worked quickly, and within an hour their camp was laid out.

"I'm going to miss you after we reach Valora", Okuni remarked, surveying their campsite. "I'd forgotten how much faster things get done when you're not alone!"

Scolipede clicked its antennae together, and she giggled. "I'm not forgetting you two, I'm very grateful for the help you give me."

As they sat around the fire, Okuni reached into her food bag and retrieved half a loaf of bread, turning it over in her hand. "May as well finish this while it's fresh." She handed a piece to Hoshiko, and they ate in silence for several minutes. Finally, Okuni broke the quiet atmosphere that had settled over the clearing. "So, tell me a little more about yourself. You've spent your whole life in a temple, I'm sure that's interesting."

"I doubt it's what you're imagining," Hoshiko responded, prodding the fire. "I was born in Dragnor, but I was given to the priestesses so young, I barely remember. From there on, it was training as an acolyte and studying the history of Ransei that goes along with that. You know, Arceus has appeared more times throughout history than many people realize, it's just not always on a scale as large as the last time."

"Well, who could forget that?" Okuni recalled. "I was standing beneath Infinite Tower, waiting with most of Ransei's other warlords. We all thought either Lady Rei and her chosen five would be coming down, or Lord Nobunaga and his generals. When the Legendary Pokemon appeared instead, it was like-" Okuni stopped, bothered by something Hoshiko had said. "Hold on. You said you were born in Dragnor. Why would you have been raised in the Aurora temple?"

Hoshiko froze. "Did I say Dragnor? I, ah, I meant Aurora." She gave a small, nervous-sounding laugh, not quite meeting Okuni's eyes.

"Hm." Okuni knew the behavior of someone caught in a lie, but the priestess (and Okuni did believe that much was true) didn't seem inherently malicious. "It's fine," Okuni said. "We haven't even known each other a full day. Just because we're traveling together doesn't entitle me to your entire life story."

Hoshiko looked up, the surprise in her amber eyes genuine. "You're not upset?"

Okuni shrugged. "Most people have things that they hide until they feel like they can really trust somebody else with them. I certainly haven't told you everything about myself. But I still trust you. And if we stay in touch after this, I hope you can eventually trust me enough to feel like you don't have to hide your past. But I'm not going to force that, either."

A small glimmer of uncertainty still lingered in Hoshiko's eyes, but her overall demeanor was more that of relieved gratefulness.

"Thank you," she murmured. "It's just a little embarrassing, being out here without even a Pokemon before I met you."

"There's no shame in that!" Okuni insisted. "I was on my own for a long while before I encountered Scolipede, and it was even longer before I met Larvesta. I won't deny that traveling is easier with a Pokemon, but you're far from the only person in Ransei who does it without."

Looking up at the sky, she was surprised to see the constellations were already out. "Oh my, it's late! We should probably move into the tent. Valora is still several hours off." As if on cue, Hoshiko yawned, and both girls wasted no time settling down. Okuni drifted off quickly, but a full night's rest was not to be.

When she woke up some time later, she knew exactly what it was.

_"Please, why now?"_ she groaned to herself. Rolling over, the sight of the inside of the tent confirmed her guess. Hoshiko's sleeping form was frozen mid-breath, and even the night breeze had stilled.

"I'm coming!" Okuni called, not bothering to keep quiet. Where the supernatural was concerned, those who were not meant to be involved were simply locked out.

Pushing open the tent flap, she was greeted by the sight of a young woman not much older than Okuni herself, with chest-length dark purple hair, sitting by the embers of the fire. She was clad in a deep red kimono patterned with black flower petals, and glanced up at the sound of Okuni's approach.

"At least it's you, Setsuna," Okuni sighed, noticing a flash of remorse that ran over Setsuna's face. "I'm not in the mood to deal with Yoko right now. Or ever, really."

"I wish I could laugh right now, Okuni," Setsuna said. She had always been the only one of them to call Okuni by her name. "Are you prepared?"

The shrine maiden's uneasiness increased tenfold. "Of course. Why?"

"You know why," Setsuna responded. "You have a job to do."

\---

_Earlier that day_

Ginchiyo and Muneshige stood atop a hill overlooking the castle's training grounds, beneath the branches of an enormous maple tree. Winters in Violight brought cold, biting winds for months at a time, but these last golden days of autumn had always been Ginchiyo's favorite time of year.

Briefly letting her eyes stray from the warriors going through their drills beneath them, she looked out to the horizon, sighing in content as the November wind ran through her short hair. Muneshige's chuckle brought her thoughts back to her surroundings.

"What's so funny?" she asked, turning around.

Muneshige made a poor attempt at hiding his smirk. "Nothing important. I just thought I actually saw Ginchiyo Tachibana smiling for a split second. A once-a-in-lifetime occurrence, and I got to witness it firsthand."

Ginchiyo found herself once again resisting the urge to physically harm him. Sweet Arceus, it was tempting. Her right hand was already positioned on the hilt of her sword, and it wouldn't take much more of Muneshige's teasing to bring her weapon into the situation. Yet while Ginchiyo was certain that he enjoyed riling her up, she knew he never meant any true harm by it. _"I need to stop letting him get to me like this."_

Breaking her gaze away from Muneshige, Ginchiyo brought her focus back to the action happening below them. "Violight has seen an impressive number of new recruits this year," she remarked. "Better to have more warriors than necessary in a time of peace than to have too few in a time of crisis." Words first spoken by her father, which Ginchiyo had understood the value of all too painfully during the war.

She heard Muneshige give a small sigh, but he still moved to stand beside her. "The future is bright for Violight, and all of Ransei," he said. Pausing, he added, "Although, there's something I'd like to ask you."

But Ginchiyo never got to hear the question. At that moment, her attention was drawn upwards, to the red and gold leaves fluttering above them. Or, rather, had abruptly gone still.

The very air felt thicker, and Staraptor flew down from the top of tree, letting out a cry of alarm. Looking down, Ginchiyo saw that Luxray's hackles were raised, its fur literally crackling with energy. She felt the familiar grip of her sword, and realized that she had already slid it halfway out of its sheath. Muneshige trailed off from whatever he had been saying, clearly noting the change too.

Later on, Ginchiyo would never be perfectly able to describe what those first few seconds had felt like. It was as though the entire world was hushed, and the tension built to such a point that every nerve and muscle in Ginchiyo's body was screaming at her to move, to run far away. Then a small pocket of black appeared in the sky, and a great roar blasted both warriors back.

The hole began to twist and grow as some malevolent smoke began to pour from it, although as it spiraled to the ground in shadowy tendrils, Ginchiyo saw that it was forming into twisted humanoid figures. Her face contorted into a horrified scowl as she realized what they were. _"Evil spirits. Just like Father used to warn about."_

They descended on the training ground first, and the screams began within seconds. All the while, the hole continued growing, and the sky over the castle was now darker than midnight. A different kind of wind buffeted Ginchiyo now, blocking her from racing to her soldiers' aid and seeming to tear away at her very essence. The darkness was advancing on them too quickly to outrun. Ginchiyo fell to one knee, straining to make out the silhouette of her beloved home. And all the while, the screams refused to end.

Just as she thought it was over, the world exploded into yellow light. Squinting, Ginchiyo realized that Luxray had acted on its own accord, and thrown up a dome of electricity around them. Even so, a few demons had slipped in, and to her disgust, their hands and weapons were stained with fresh blood. _"One for each of us,"_ Ginchiyo thought, counting Muneshige and Staraptor inside their tiny shelter. They seemed to reach that conclusion as well, and one fell upon Ginchiyo within seconds.

There was no time to think. Her hand went up, and her sword with it. To her surprise, the blade seemed to actually hurt the demon, and its skin smoked where it had been impaled. Without hesitation, Ginchiyo sliced the sword downwards, carving a ragged black gash in the demon's torso. It gave an unearthly howl of pain before folding in on itself, vanishing. The stench of gore and decay hit Ginchiyo in a wave, but she wiped away the tears that formed in her eyes and charged towards Luxray.

All of her partner's energy was focused on sustaining their shield, and its attacker was exploiting that. Ginchiyo stabbed it from behind, and the demon fell effortlessly. _"They must not have expected anyone to put up a fight. They will learn what it means to challenge a Tachibana!"_

A screech from Staraptor drew her attention, where it was attempting to beat back the other two demons from attacking Muneshige with its wings. The gold light continued to dance around them all, beginning to disorient Ginchiyo. When she swung her sword next, it was poorly aimed, and the third demon's focus was brought to her. It gave a bloodchilling smile, and Ginchiyo knew it could sense her weakening.

_"Give up,"_ a voice in her mind whispered. _"Your kingdom is gone."_

Fury consumed her, and she thrust forward blindly, cleanly taking the demon's head off.

"Muneshige!" she cried, and it distracted both her second in command and his assailant long enough for Staraptor to strike. The fourth demon was stunned for only a moment, but that was all Ginchiyo needed. Summoning every ounce of strength she had left, she let out a shout and met the demon head-on, striking it down in a flurry of blood and darkness.

When it was over, she stood on shaking legs, black creeping in at the edges of her vision. She heard Muneshige call her name. Then her senses failed her, and the world went quiet, devastatingly dark.


	4. Chapter 3

Ginchiyo woke to pain. No, pain was an understatement. Pain was the sore muscles that came after a long training session, or a twisted ankle from executing an attack incorrectly. This felt like she had been trampled into the dirt by every army of Ransei combined, lit on fire, and then kicked in the head several more times for emphasis. She was distantly aware of the awfully vulnerable position her body was currently in - spread-eagled across the hard ground - but even the prospect of forcing open her eyes, much less climbing to her feet, caused her brain to scream protests.

Fortunately, Ginchiyo's pride fought back with just as much refusal to waver. _"Look at yourself, last of the Tachibana line, sprawled in the dirt like a insect! Are you a warlord of Violight or not?"_

At that, her stormcloud eyes shot open, and she began to almost unconsciously assess the damage to her body.

_"Sight and hearing don't seem to be compromised, although I definitely took a blow to the head. Ribs are sore, but don't feel broken. Arms and legs still attached, although currently not responding without extra encouragement."_ Tilting her head so that her vision was now lined up with her sword hand, Ginchiyo narrowed her eyes and began to slowly move her fingers, gaining satisfaction as they finally curled into a fist. _"I'm not finished just yet, Father."_

Slowly, she eased herself up into a sitting position and cast her mind out, searching for Luxray. Ginchiyo barely held in a cry of relief as she found her partner's wavelength; exhausted, but definitely alive. Tracking it with her eyes now, Ginchiyo made out the collapsed, huddled shape of Luxray several yards away. Seeing the Electric Pokemon like this brought the memories of their last battle back in full force.

Gasping as she recalled the demons she had cut down, Ginchiyo's hand reached out towards where she had dropped her sword, searching for the familiar hilt. After the longest several seconds of her life, Ginchiyo found its smooth grip, and her breathing eased. At least if anything else came back for more, she wouldn't be completely defenseless. But could the same be said for... _"Muneshige!"_

She whipped her head in the direction of the enormous tree she had last seen Muneshige fighting for his life under, and caught the distinct brown shade of his hair in the grass. Spreading out from where the rest of his body must have been lying was an awful crimson stain.

"No," Ginchiyo whispered. Muneshige couldn't be dead. He hadn't been her second-in-command for four years to die unconscious; from the loss of his own treacherous blood. Before they could say goodbye. Driving her fist into the ground, Ginchiyo pushed herself up to one knee. It was then that a black flicker at the corner of her vision caused her to turn around.

The sight that greeted Ginchiyo almost drove her back to her knees. The sky over her beloved Violight pulsed with an unnatural darkness that belonged to no mere storm. A hole had been blown in the outer wall of the castle, potentially allowing the Legendary Pokemon only knew how many demons inside. And on the training field lay the massacred corpses of what had been Violight's finest upcoming warriors. The same field where Ginchiyo had linked with Luxray for the first time over a decade ago was now a mass grave.

Overlooking all of this from the hilltop was a woman in black, with raven-dark hair streaming down her back. For a brief delirious moment, Ginchiyo thought it was Lady No, until she realized the woman's shoulder was missing the dark purple tattoo indicating No's position as the warlord of Spectra. Even more puzzling was the contents of the woman's pale hand, some of which were still scattered on the ground around her - cherry blossom petals, even though the blooming season was long over.

Ginchiyo shakily stood on legs still reluctant to bear her weight and moved slowly towards the strange woman, sword held tight in her hand. As she drew closer, the sound of the woman muttering to herself stopped Ginchiyo in her tracks. The woman's voice was a commanding alto that somehow also held the scrape of metal on bone, and Ginchiyo couldn't tell if it was angry or excited.

"So, a little messenger from the spirit world got here first? Pity I didn't have enough strength to greet her then. This will have to do." She crushed the final few petals in her hand, turning around to face Ginchiyo so smoothly it was almost as though she was floating.

"You don't have a talent for staying quiet," she smirked. "Were you planning to cut me down with that sword like you did my poor ambassadors? I would be amazed if you could even lift it in your current state."

Counters formed in Ginchiyo's mind, but the woman's voice had an effect that left her rooted to the ground, only able to communicate with the anger blazing in her eyes. From the way this woman was talking, she was the one responsible for the destruction that had been wreaked upon Violight's castle.

The woman met Ginchiyo's gaze, her eyes an unnaturally deep fuchsia, and raised an eyebrow. "That is no ordinary sword, I will give you credit. It holds a power no longer granted to humans, which leads me to believe it has been handed down for quite some time. So clearly, you're someone powerful."

Her gaze locked onto Ginchiyo's helm, and she sucked in an excited breath. "You're the warlord of this poor castle, aren't you? You must forgive my unfamiliarity, I'm afraid I have been locked away for a very long time."

Turning away from Ginchiyo, the woman faced west, the midnight fabric of her gown standing against her pale skin like ink on fresh paper. Tilting her head back, she breathed in, closing her eyes.

"Ransei has changed, hasn't it?" It was not phrased as an inquiry.

Facing Ginchiyo again, the woman smiled. "Well, seeing as I only just regained enough strength to assume this form again, I'd rather not test if I am strong enough to eradicate you yet." Her lips curled into a taunting smile. "Although, I find you intriguing enough to where think I would let you live regardless."

Ginchiyo was now certain that whoever she was confronting could not be human. Calling upon what little of her strength had returned, she forced her voice to work once more. "What the hell are you? How does destroying Violight bring you any closer to achieving your goal?"

The woman blinked, now scowling. "As if I would disclose my entire ambition to you for no reason at all. You should learn to keep your mouth shut, little warlord."

She snapped her fingers, and fists of iron clamped around Ginchiyo's throat. The last thing Ginchiyo heard before her body succumbed to the lack of oxygen was, "And when you wake, remember to fear the darkness. Now that its queen has returned, you may find it much more restless."

\------

The grim reapers, or shinigami as they were known in Ransei, had been with humankind since death was first personified. Okuni was the ninth to be rooted in Ransei, her predecessor being Setsuna. Most days, Okuni was able to live her life without disturbance, and she did so gladly. However, a cataclysm like the one in Violight meant many new, confused souls who might lash out at the living in panic or refusal to accept their fates. Which was why the bulk of Okuni's duties was ushering the newly deceased into the spirit realm.

Okuni stood on the field before Violight's castle, her black kimono fluttering in the wind. After Setsuna's summons, Okuni had magically changed into the ceremonial garb and taken Setsuna's hand, upon which they were both transported to the Electric kingdom. Even though time was more difficult to ascertain when constantly traveling between realms, Okuni felt she had to have been at this for hours. There couldn't be many more spirits left…

Setsuna hadn't even explained what had caused this massacre before leaving her here. Okuni was surprised to not see Lady Ginchiyo out among the wreckage in the living realm, yet the warlord certainly wasn't dead, for a spirit such as hers would definitely put up a fight before letting herself be escorted.

_"I suppose that's a mystery for later,"_ Okuni thought, finally spotting what looked to be her last escort of the night. It was a girl about Okuni's own physical age, with light brown hair pulled back in a manner that only emphasized the youth in her face. Approaching her, Okuni asked slowly, "Hello. Are you lost?"

The girl turned around, tears welling in her eyes. "I don't know what's happened!" she cried. "The last thing I remember is training on the field, and then I woke up here! You're the first person who's talked to me since then."

Taking a deep breath, Okuni held out her hand. "I'll lead you to where everyone else went. There's nothing more for you here." She had stopped asking spirits their names countless years earlier.

The girl's face lit up, and she grasped Okuni's hand eagerly. A small sphere of light formed between their palms, enveloping the girl as images of her short life - and what fate would have had in store for her had she not been caught in this disaster - flickered through Okuni's mind. _"She would have been a great hero,"_ Okuni thought sadly. _"What a waste of a soul."_

The light spread up the girl's arm, and all that remained within a minute was her soul in its purest form, a glowing orb resembling a lantern. Okuni raised her hands and let the soul float into the sky, where it would be received into the spirit realm. She felt a small spark in her chest, and knew the soul had been accepted.

Humming a few short notes, she watched as the air around her shimmered before pale pink cherry blossom petals fluttered down around her, to be left behind in the human realm. They were always the only sign she ever left of her presence.

Closing her eyes, Okuni let herself dissolve into the folds separating the Ransei of humans and the Ransei of spirits, and upon opening them found herself standing back at her and Hoshiko's campsite. Setsuna sat once again by the ashes of the fire, not seeming to have moved despite Okuni having been gone for several hours. "It's done," Okuni said, pretending to watch the stars fade out if only to avoid having to meet her predecessor's gaze.

Setsuna said nothing, gracious enough to not press Okuni for details. Once Okuni was sure she was gone, she turned back towards the tent, and had just slipped back beneath her blanket when she heard Hoshiko stir. "Of course."

"What are you doing?" Hoshiko murmured. Okuni's heart skipped a beat until she realized the priestess was just talking in her sleep. Hoshiko thrashed beneath her blanket, and cried out, "Stop! You're hurting me!"

_"A nightmare?"_ Okuni reached across the thin gap separating them and shook Hoshiko by the arm. The priestess' amber eyes snapped open, her chest heaving rapidly as she struggled to control her breathing.

"O - Okuni? Is that you?" she asked.

"You seemed like you were having a bad dream. I'm sorry if you didn't want to be woken," Okuni said.

Hoshiko blinked. "Oh. No, it's fine. Thank you. Just a nightmare, like you said."

Okuni pulled herself up so she was sitting on her knees, still concerned. "Can you remember the details? It may help to talk about it."

Hoshiko seemed hesitant to the idea at first, but then sighed. "Why not?"

Thinking for a moment, she breathed in and began. "When it started, I was high in the clouds, as though I was flying. Eventually, I landed on top of a tall building, although I'm not sure if it was a castle. Then, somebody called my name. It almost sounded like the high priestess of my old temple, enough that I trusted it, but something about it didn't seem right either. And then-"

Okuni nodded. "And then?"

Hoshiko shuddered before continuing. "Then chains came out of nowhere and tied me down. No matter how much I struggled or cried out for help, nobody came. Well, not exactly. One person came. They talked like they knew me, even though I'd never seen them before. They - they took out a knife and plunged it towards my heart, but I moved at the last second, and the blade missed by a few inches. It still hurt like it was real, though. I felt as though I was being ripped in two… and then you woke me up."

Sitting for a moment, Okuni took in Hoshiko's description. "That does sound upsetting," she finally responded. "I have nightmares that feel real too. For me, it helps to separate what I know are memories, and what my mind just created to make it worse. I think that should be easier for you than for me, though."

Thankfully, Hoshiko didn't try to pursue what it could be that haunted Okuni's dreams at night. She smiled, took a deep breath, and nodded.

"Thank you, Okuni. I'll remember that." Standing, she began to tidy up her section of the tent. "How soon until we break camp?"

Grateful for the change in subject, Okuni started tying their sheets into bedrolls. "We can leave within an hour if we're fast. If this clear weather holds out, we could reach Valora by the end of the day."

"In that case, let's not waste time!" Hoshiko declared. Okuni exited the tent to wake Scolipede and Larvesta, and as always, confined the events of the night to the back of her mind. Her two lives had not collided in many decades. (One of the only perks of being a shinigami was eternal youth.) Why should the previous night be any different?

\------

Stony gray clouds hung over the Valora skyline, filling the air with the promise of a storm. Ina halfway expected to be able to hold out her hand and feel raindrops against her skin, as though the simple gesture could make the sky open.

_"It's for the better if I finish up in the city before the storm,"_ she reminded herself. _"I don't think even Quagsire would enjoy having to hike back to the castle in a downpour."_

Lowering the hood of her cloak, Ina stepped into the center of Valora's famous outdoor market, where goods from all kingdoms and other regions were traded and sold. During the war that had raged for her entire seventeen years of life, Valora had only received three or four ships from the outside world a year, and their meager cargo had failed to satisfy Ina's boundless curiosity. Now, it was rare that a week went by without some new good being discovered for trade. Lord Ieyasu had even ordered a shipment of radios from Kanto, in the hopes of establishing swifter communication throughout the kingdom, and hopefully all of Ransei in the future. The Steel kingdom's warlord was determined to make up for lost time and finish the modernization of Valora that had begun before Ina's birth, when Ransei had still been at relative peace. There was talk of creating ports in Fontaine and Illusio as well, and Violight and Avia had already expanded their airfields to accommodate the larger aircraft of outside regions.

Ina tried her best to maneuver through the crowd without drawing too much attention, although this was hampered by the large, awkwardly wrapped bundle she held under one arm. Quagsire and Prinplup walked on both sides of her, helping her push through the masses. Late afternoon was when the market saw its largest amount of traffic, so Ina normally tried to go in the morning. However, word of her birthday seemed to have reached every servant in the castle, and Ina had been stopped at least a dozen times as she was leaving to be wished a fortunate year.

When her thoughts strayed back to the gift her father had given her that morning though, Ina's heart sped up. As usual, both they and their Pokemon had battled in the castle's massive training room. Ina had shown faster communication with Prinplup, but when it came to physical combat, she was still almost always bested by the legendary Tadakatsu.

Afterwards, Ina had expected her father to leave for the throne room and assist Lord Ieyasu with the day's demands, but instead he had led her to the armory. Ina had only been inside the massive steel vault that held the backbone of Valora's might a handful of times, and couldn't help but gaze in awe at the battlefield-sized room. Shelves upon shelves were lined in neat metal rows, holding everything from standard-issue naginatas and katanas to elaborately carved battleaxes and bows that were taller than Ina. She even saw the glinting muzzles of rifles inside a glass case, although they had clearly never seen combat beyond the castle's firing range.

The wall at the far end of the room was home to the weapons of Valora's past warlords, and in some cases their most loyal retainers. Ina's mind was racing by this point as she wondered what her father could have possibly brought her here for. Her unspoken query was answered as Tadakatsu stooped to collect a bundle at the foot of the display - the same one now held tightly under Ina's arm.

"Sit," he had said.

Once they were both kneeling on the smooth floor of the armory, her father had gently unrolled the cloth wrappings, and Ina hadn't been able to help but gasp. Even in pieces, the bow laying before her was easily the most beautiful weapon she had ever seen. It gleamed like polished silver, and a clear blue sapphire was set into the metal.

"It was your mother's, before it fell into this state," Tadakatsu had explained. "You are ready to wield it." Ina had fought back the tears threatening to well up in her eyes, and was now on her way to the blacksmith to see what could be done about reforging the bow.

Yuuki and her father had fought side by side in Valora's army before Yuuki switched trades, and to this day he was still the only blacksmith Tadakatsu trusted to handle his weapons and armor. Both men had remained friends throughout the years, and Yuuki was practically family to Ina. So when she approached his stall, the older man barely had to look up before chuckling. "Your old man told me you would be coming." Clearing a space on the table, he asked, "What have you got for me?"

Ina gently set down the bundle containing the bow and untied it. Yuuki sucked in a breath, and his deep brown eyes briefly clouded over with memories. "So he's letting you have Asahi's bow? Between this and those Pokemon of yours, you'll be unstoppable before long!"

"You can piece it back together, then?" Ina said.

Yuuki pretended to be wounded at that. "There's no need to make it sound like this is beyond my abilities! I'll do it, and free of charge. Anything for you, kid. Come back tomorrow and it'll be good as new."

"Thank you very much!" Ina bowed, but something on one of the tables caught her eye before she could leave. Walking over, she ignored Prinplup's disdainful cry at the sight of the blade, clearly a failed dagger now being sold as scrap metal.

_"This is still nice and sharp,"_ Ina thought, picking it up. _"It's light, too."_

Her eyes moved back to the bow Yuuki was now spreading out on his workspace behind the booth, and an idea burst into her head.

"Yuuki!" she called. "What would happen if you took some of this scrap metal and welded it to the bow?"

Yuuki looked puzzled for a moment, then comprehension dawned in his eyes as he finished her thought. "Some nice blades on both ends just in case all else fails? I like the way you think." He gave a firm nod. "Yeah, that's definitely something I can do!"

Excited, Ina turned back to the scrap table to find another suitable blade - and collided hands with another girl reaching for the same piece.

"Oh! Sorry!" the other girl said, pulling her arm back. She was wearing the red and white normally associated with shrine maidens, had a slim build, and pretty brown hair that loosely framed her face before turning into braids at her neck. Ina felt as though they had met before, but where that might have been was just out of reach.

The shrine maiden opened her mouth to speak when she was broken off by a white-haired girl in priestess' robes walking up next to her, holding a small pendant. "I didn't realize things like this were sold here! What do you think, Okuni?" she asked.

Ina's scattered thoughts instantly fell into place.

_"The junior warlord of Spectra!"_ They had spoken in passing when Valora had hosted the previous year's warlord conference, but afterwards, Ina had been confined to Valora until the very end of Lord Nobunaga's war. _"That doesn't explain why she's back here though, and with a priestess of Arceus at that."_

Okuni inspected the pendant, then shook her head.

"That isn't real gold, just something to scam tourists. Sorry, Hoshiko." Turning to Ina, she held out her hand. "Hello again, by the way! Ina, right? I'm Okuni, and this is my traveling companion, Hoshiko. I was actually taking her to the temple here, but we decided to do some sightseeing first." Behind her, the Scolipede and Larvesta that Ina remembered were Okuni's partners cried out greetings.

"It's nice to see you again, and it's a pleasure to meet you, Hoshiko," Ina responded. Pausing for a moment, she said, "You know, if you're not in a rush, I know a great place near here to get some food."

"That would be much appreciated!" Okuni laughed. "What do you say, Hoshiko?"

They turned to Okuni's companion, and saw her staring at the far end of the square, trying to make something out. The cheap charm she had been holding clattered to the gray cobblestones that made up the market floor.

"Okuni?" she asked. "Do you feel anything strange?"

Okuni froze, and Ina felt an unconscious shift in her own bearing as well. Something in the air was very out of order. Then, out of the corner of her eye, Ina saw a dark shadow moving towards them.

"Get down!" she shouted, and then an explosion knocked the world sideways. People in the crowd began screaming immediately, and Ina barely managed to save Prinplup from being trampled in the chaos.

"Okuni? Hoshiko?" Ina shouted, and she caught a glimpse of Okuni helping Hoshiko up through the throngs of people shoving past her. Fighting her way through the panic, Ina and her Pokemon made their way to the other two girls. "What's happening?"

"The temple!" Hoshiko wailed. "The explosion came from the temple!"

Ina dared a quick look at the skyline, and saw that Hoshiko was right. Smoke was rising from the northern end of the market that served as the public entrance to Valora's temple of Arceus. Looking back at Okuni, Ina gasped as she saw lithe figures that were partially concealed in shadows moving through the crowd, tearing down anyone who crossed their path. Their behavior was as though they were searching for something. Just as Ina realized this, two of them caught sight of Okuni and Hoshiko, gestured to each other, and began darting towards them with frightening speed.

There was no time to think. Ina linked her mind to Prinplup's, breathed in, and ordered her partner to attack. "Watch out, Okuni!" she called just as Prinplup loosed a Water Pulse in the shadow's direction.

Okuni whipped her head around to see the shadow-person. Her eyes narrowed, and she turned back to Ina. Even as a second explosion sounded from somewhere south of them, she was unfazed. "All three of us need to get out of here now. Follow me!" she barked.

Hoshiko was back on her feet, and seemed in no hurry to separate her wrist from Okuni's grip. The three of them began running towards the market's eastern exit - away from the castle, Ina realized as her heart sank. Wherever Okuni was leading them, it certainly didn't seem to be the sanctuary of Valora castle's iron walls.

They raced down several narrow streets and alleyways, until Ina regained enough of her bearings to know that they were now in one of the less savory parts of the city. This was where you came to purchase goods and services not offered in the more respectable main market. Of course, the more respectable main market had also just been attacked by shadow assassins, so maybe this area was the preferable alternative today.

Okuni led the three of them inside an empty warehouse, and paused to let Ina and Hoshiko catch their breath. "If we haven't lost them by now, there's not much more we can do," she panted.

Amazingly, all four of their Pokemon had somehow made it as well, and Ina had never felt more grateful for the reassuring presences of Quagsire and Prinplup. "What happened back there? Whatever those things were, it seemed like they were after you two!" she asked after catching her breath.

"Demons," Hoshiko said, shaking. She looked like a cornered animal, and her amber eyes kept glancing back to the entrance of the warehouse, even though Okuni had taken care to block it with several crates.

Okuni looked at Hoshiko in surprise. "You recognize them?"

Hoshiko nodded. "I read about them at my old temple. But it said that there's often years between when a real demon makes it into the human world, and we saw at least five of them in the market!"

Ina was doing her best to keep up, but she was beginning to feel like she had walked in on a story that had already been halfway told. "Hold on, do you mean to tell me that those weren't humans back there? Isn't that kind of thing supposed to only happen in Spectra?"

Okuni sighed. "You'd be surprised." Then her eyes brightened with the beginnings of an idea. "Wait, that's it! We have to get to the airfield now before people start trying to leave the city in hordes."

Blinking, Ina realized what Okuni was implying. "Wait, you expect me to come with you? With all due respect, it's my home that was just attacked. Lord Ieyasu and my father wouldn't have me running off to another kingdom, and I don't want to either!"

Okuni looked back at the blocked door, and Ina became aware of distant shouting and sounds of a fight. The shrine maiden seemed to weigh her options, before groaning and turning back towards Ina. "Listen, I don't mean to sound pushy, but those demons saw you helping me and Hoshiko. The walls around Valora's castle won't keep them out, trust me on that. You're not going to be safe unless you're with someone who knows what they're dealing with, and luckily, I do. I think Lord Ieyasu will understand that you're just trying to stay alive."

The sounds of fighting had grown louder now, and Ina heard a pained scream being cut short. She hated herself for thinking it, but she knew Okuni was right, even if that meant Ina had to leave her home to the mercy of whatever these things were. "Alright, to the airfield."

Prinplup didn't seem pleased either (and while Quagsire's expression almost never changed, Ina could sense its discomfort through their link), but neither of her partners outwardly protested as they exited the warehouse. Okuni seemed to already know the way to the airfield, which made their flight through the city much easier. Ina briefly wondered how someone who hadn't spent their whole life in Valora could know the labyrinth of streets so well, but she pushed the thought aside. What did it matter as long as they got out of this safely?

Even running, it took about ten minutes to reach the airfield, and they had to take several detours to avoid the sounds of scuffles. When they passed by the entrance to the market once more, Ina had to suppress a sob as she saw the rubble littering the ground, and several bodies that weren't moving. _"Why would anyone do this?"_

The buildings towering over them on both sides abruptly ended on an open field, and Ina heard Okuni cry out with relief. "Hurry!" she said, and as if on cue, another explosion erupted somewhere in the city.

"Which one?" Ina shouted over the sound of blimps taking off.

Okuni pointed to one of the only crafts still on the ground. A deep purple flag flew from the top, and she waved her arms at a man Ina assumed was the pilot. He didn't look happy to be delayed, but Okuni was unstoppable. She raced up the boarding ramp, and while Ina couldn't hear their following conversation, she could see the pilot's face change as Okuni pressed several more pieces of gold than necessary into his hand. Okuni beckoned Ina and Hoshiko on board as two things happened.

The western end of the airfield went up in flames, and three more figures melted from the shadows. They were unmistakably gesturing towards Hoshiko, and Ina heard one of them shout above the din in an awful rasp, "Kill her!"

Meeting Hoshiko's eyes, the two girls made for the boarding ramp with increased speed. The blimp was already taking off as the door closed behind them, just as the dark figures reached where the girls had been standing a minute before.

"Right now, the three of us must have the most incredible luck in Ransei," Okuni panted. "The pilot was just making a supply delivery, and the only reason he didn't take off with everyone else when the market was attacked is because he needed to refuel."

Ina's heart lurched as she heard something make contact with the bottom of the blimp, but Okuni shook her head. "The bottom of this is solid steel, nothing is bringing us down short of a strike from the Legendary Pokemon itself."

"Isn't that a relief," Hoshiko said, bringing her presence back to Ina's attention. At that, both she and Prinplup rounded on the priestess.

"If you don't mind me saying so, I think it's in all our best interests right now to know exactly who you are. Something tells me a simple priestess of Arceus doesn't normally have to worry about demonic assassins trying to blow her up." Even as Ina heard herself saying those words, she was still having trouble wrapping her mind around the true implications of the situation. "Demons just attacked my home. I'm on a blimp to who-knows-where with their target and the junior warlord of Spectra..."

A moment passed before Ina remembered the flag the blimp was flying.

"Spectra!" she cried out, turning to Okuni. "Is that where we're going?" She had heard plenty of stories about Spectra, not all of them pleasant. Even more of an enigma was Lady No, whom Ina had only caught glimpses of at the previous year's warlord conference.

Okuni nodded, and the shadow that fell over her face reminded Ina of an old fortune-teller she had once seen at a festival. "This goes far beyond any documented demon disturbances that I know of," Okuni murmured. "Simple exorcisms aren't going to do. Right now, Lady No has the most knowledge on matters like this of anyone in Ransei, so it looks like I'm returning to my duties earlier than planned. And my dragging you into this at least means you get to come along for the ride, Ina."

The shrine maiden's eyes changed back just as abruptly, once again looking their age. "Spectra is still a couple of hours off. I have something with the pilot I need to take care of, but after that, I think we should follow Ina's advice and get to know each other. If we're going to get surprised again once we're on the ground, I'd like to know why next time."


	5. Chapter 4

Okuni left Ina and Hoshiko in the passenger bay and made her way to the upper levels of the blimp, where the private cabins were located. These rooms were sectioned off for warlords and their retainers to use on longer journeys, and while the flight to Spectra was too short to demand their usage for their intended purpose, Okuni knew she wouldn't be overheard within one.

Opening the door to the first cabin, Okuni stepped into what was by all purposes a small bedroom. Scolipede and Larvesta remained outside, partially to alert Okuni if Ina or Hoshiko came looking for her, and partially because Scolipede's added bulk would make the room an uncomfortably tight fit.

Reaching into the bag slung over her shoulder, Okuni felt a surge of gratefulness that it had survived all the running through Valora. "Please don't let anything have been crushed," she muttered as she retrieved the materials she needed for this - incense sticks, paper, a portable burner, and ink.

She lit the incense first, waiting until the smoke was drifting upwards in lazy coils before flattening the paper of the floor and writing down a name. Okuni folded the paper four times, then dropped it into the flame. As it was consumed, the spark of irritation Okuni had felt ever since the warehouse burned brighter.

Fortunately, she didn't have to wait long. As the last of the paper crumbled into ash, Okuni once again felt the familiar stilling of her surroundings. The smoke hanging in midair from the incense thickened into a human shape, and then Okuni was face-to-face with Setsuna. The purple-haired woman opened her mouth to greet Okuni, but Okuni wasn't in the mood for formalities.

"Why didn't you tell me what happened in Violight was an organized demon attack?" she began, catching Setsuna off guard. "And don't try to deny it, because I was just chased through Valora by half a dozen of them! How did this even happen? And why did you put me to work collecting souls last night like nothing was wrong? I could have helped you locate whatever portal they're using, you know! Just because I'm still paying off my debt doesn't mean I deserve to be locked out of important information!"

The surprise that registered on Setsuna's face when Okuni was finished gave Okuni a selfish surge of satisfaction. _"Good. That will let her know I expect answers."_

While Okuni wouldn't have said she was on friendly terms with any of Ransei's former shinigami, she had always felt the closest kinship with Setsuna. In return, Setsuna had made the largest effort to help Okuni when she had taken up the reaper mantle. Maybe it had been out of pity, but since then, they had formed a tentative bond. So Okuni figured that raising her voice against any of her predecessors, much less the only one who routinely acknowledged her existence, must have been a shock for Setsuna.

The older shinigami raised her hands in a peace offering. "This explanation may take a while. If I promise to tell you all I know, will you hear me out?" She crossed the floor of the compartment, sitting on the bed and making an emphasis of leaving a space beside her.

Okuni recognized the gesture for what it was. She sat beside Setsuna, who thankfully didn't try to stall or divert the subject.

"I'll answer your questions in order. First and foremost, the decision to conceal the true nature of the attack was one I argued against, as well as Tsukiyama." That information surprised Okuni. Out of all Ransei's former shinigami, she hadn't expected to find an ally in the former princess of Illusio.

'What possible benefit could there be to keeping me in the dark, though?" Okuni asked. "Do the others consider me a burden?"

Setsuna seemed to weigh her next answer carefully. "Part of it is a matter of pride, especially on Yoko's part," she admitted. "Tsukiyama and I are the only ones who don't believe the existing order will be enough counter this threat. In Yoko's mind, turning to not only our current reaper, but also the one with the highest soul debt out of any of us would be a concession of weakness. It wouldn't do to seem as though we were unprepared."

As the implication of what Setsuna was saying hit Okuni, her jaw dropped. "You mean, you all _knew_ this was going to happen? For how long?"

"Bringing us to the next topic," Setsuna sighed. "You remember your... time in the spirit realm. You witnessed firsthand how the shinigami have labored for thousands of years to ensure that demons remain sealed behind the Burning Gates."

 _"And if any poor human souls who get dragged along with them get stuck in there too, that's just too bad, isn't it?"_ Okuni bit the remark back. Her situation back then hadn't been Setsuna's fault.

"I know about the way the Gates were designed," she said instead. "The outer wall is a circle, and past the entrance, it's divided into rings. The smaller demons that couldn't do much damage on their own are kept within the rim, and the further in you go, the more dangerous they become." Not even Yoko risked journeying all the way into the center on her own, Okuni knew for a fact.

Setsuna nodded. "For about a year now, we've been sensing disturbances from the heart of the Gates, stirrings of power from demons that were supposed to have remained magically subdued for the rest of time. But we did nothing until yesterday." She winced at the thought before continuing.

"We finally felt a flare too strong for us to ignore. We were prepared for the worst - and we were greeted by it. A monstrosity as old as Ransei itself had built up enough strength to break its bonds. By the time we arrived, it had already freed several more of its kind. Of course, we fought them. We had even managed to force a handful back into their seals when someone in your world created a gateway. Whether or not they did so intentionally, that was all it took. Yoko was about to strike the final blow to their leader when it escaped through that gateway. It must have traveled to Violight afterwards." Setsuna drew in a pained breath, and Okuni noticed for the first time the edges of what looked like a burn on the purple-haired woman's neck.

"After that, it was like the remaining demons grew stronger. We... we hadn't fought true demons in so long, we had forgotten how resilient they could be. We were losing, Okuni! We had to fall back."

Shaking her head, Setsuna finished, "As well as that, Hatsuko had sustained heavy wounds. Yoko and Aina stayed back to reinforce the outer gate, and the rest of us retreated to the safety of the castle. As for the demon that escaped... it clearly recovered its strength faster than we had thought possible. To tear open its own portal over Violight - well, you saw for yourself the result of that."

The astonishment Okuni felt when Setsuna was finished quickly became anger. "And Yoko still didn't want me to fight? Maybe I couldn't have tipped the scales, but I could have at least helped! What if I had been attacked last night? Am I that expendable?"

"All points that Tsukiyama and I argued," Setsuna interjected. "Okuni, I'm on your side. You have every right to be upset. I'm telling you this because I don't care what Yoko will do once she finds out I have. If there's been an attack in Valora as well, we can't afford to keep you in the dark."

Okuni bit her lip, shifting uncomfortably. Although she felt trepidation as to what the answer to her next question could be, she nonetheless asked, "So what's stopping Violight from happening again? If this demon is that powerful, why not just repeat that attack on Valora? How do we know some other kingdom won't be next?"

"That's actually just about the only silver lining," Setsuna sighed. "The boundaries between the human and spirit realms are reinforced with magic that makes it extremely difficult to force through them without a two-way connection. This demon was only able to escape with the help of someone on your side, and once it was in Violight, it would have taken an incredible amount of power to force its own gateway open. It's going to have been greatly drained from it."

"Alright," Okuni began. "But do we know how quickly it recovers? What's preventing it from just opening portals all over Ransei before we can seal it away for good?"

"You didn't let me finish," Setsuna said with a small smile."It's true that the Violight attack allowed a fair amount of demons into Ransei. But nothing short of the power of a god could tear multiple gateways open at once. It may have been some centuries since I called your Ransei home, but I don't recall anything capable of granting that kind of power simply up for the taking."

"Well, the Legendary Pokemon did share its power with Lady Rei atop Infinite Tower," Okuni recalled. "But Lady Rei said it told her that it could only happen once, and that after that battle she would no longer be able to access it." Remembering a detail from her earlier conversation with Hoshiko, Okuni continued, "In fact, stories of the Legendary Pokemon bestowing its power onto warriors it deems worthy can be found all throughout Ransei's history. But even if it were to descend twice in one lifetime, I doubt it would be to give that power to a destruction-hungry demon."

"Isn't that reassuring?" Setsuna bitterly laughed. Meeting Okuni's eyes, her face fell. "Okuni, what's your plan from here? I can do my best to keep you informed from the spirit world, but ultimately, my time in your Ransei ended when you took up my duties. The laws of the spirit world dictate that unless it is directly attacked once more, the former shinigami will not be able to engage this demon again. It's one thing for me to communicate with you, but in the human realm, it's difficult for me to interact with anything that does not have strong ties to the spirit realm. Unless this demon sets its sights on the shinigami, it will fall to the seventeen kingdoms to defeat it. Do you believe that could be done?"

"Yes, I do," Okuni affirmed. "Especially once word of what happened in Violight and Valora gets out."

Rising, she finished, "And as for what I plan to do, first, I'm going back to Spectra."

\------

By the time Okuni returned, Ina had been unsuccessfully attempting to strike up a tentative conversation with Hoshiko. Try as Ina might, the Wailord in the room regarding what Hoshiko could have possibly done to warrant Ina's home being attacked over her wasn't an easy one to overcome. And since Hoshiko didn't have any Pokemon with her for Ina to talk about, all that was really left to her was...

"Lovely weather out there, isn't it?" Ina mentally groaned as a thunderclap outside immediately followed, and even Prinplup gave her a disbelieving look. _"The weather, Ina? You can do better than that!"_

Hoshiko, on the other hand, didn't seem to be bothered. "Well, it seems in spite of the storm, the blimp is still going to be landing on schedule."

Fortunately for Ina, Okuni and her Pokemon rejoined them right as Ina was beginning to think she couldn't possibly do this.

"Is everything alright, Okuni?" Hoshiko asked. "You took your time."

Okuni nodded. "Yes, there were just a few things I needed to discuss with the pilot." Ina couldn't help but notice the slight edge to Okuni's voice, but maybe that was just the last of the adrenaline from Valora.

The shrine maiden let out a breath. "Alright, we'll be touching down in Spectra soon. Once we're inside the castle, I'll inform Lady No about what's happened, and you two can settle in and contact whomever you like."

 _"That will certainly be an interesting letter to write,"_ Ina thought. _"Dear Father and Lord Ieyasu, don't worry, I'm not dead. Instead, I'm in Spectra with its junior warlord because it's the only place we'll be safe from the demon assassins that are after our heads now. No idea when I'll be back. Love, Ina."_

The continuing sound of Okuni's voice brought Ina's attention back to the shrine maiden. "Let's see... you probably shouldn't leave your rooms once it gets dark, since the ghosts do like to play pranks on people who have never stayed in the castle before. Oh, and despite what you may have heard, I can confirm that Lady No does not bathe in the blood of her victims to keep herself eternally young and beautiful." Given Okuni's overly casual delivery, this speech was clearly one she had recited before.

The roar of the engine began to grow louder, and Ina's stomach lurched as they began to descend. "Are we landing already?"

Okuni nodded. "By blimp, the trip from Valora to Spectra isn't even two hours. The pilot was able to take it faster too since we're the only passengers." Flashing a smirk at Ina, she added on, "Even in spite of this not-so-lovely weather."

In spite of herself, Ina laughed. "You heard?"

"Oh yes," Okuni giggled. "Don't worry, I won't hold it against you."

They set about collecting their belongings, and as Ina retrieved her coinpurse from atop a stack of crates, she suddenly felt a rush of sadness. She had left Valora's castle just hours earlier with her mother's bow under her arm, and for all she knew it had since been burned or blown up. Quagsire must have felt her grief down their link, because it came over and gave her a reassuring nudge with its head.

"Thank you," Ina murmured to the Ground Pokemon. "I just don't want it to have met its end like that."

If either Okuni or Hoshiko overheard, they were kind enough to not say anything. The next few minutes passed in relative silence until they felt the thud of the blimp touching down. The exit ramp unfolded, and together the unlikely companions stepped out onto Spectra's airfield.

Ina hadn't traveled to many other kingdoms - only Nixtorm, and Dragnor once when Lord Ieyasu had sworn fealty to Lord Nobunaga. To her disappointment, her first impression of Spectra was... rather underwhelming. Although, the sheets of rain currently pouring down around them probably had something to do with that.

"Wonderful," Okuni muttered. "We'll have to make a run for it."

"I'm sorry?" Ina gaped. "I can't even make out the end of the airfield! We're more likely to drown out in that deluge than find our way to the castle!" On the other side of Okuni, similar grievances were mirrored upon Hoshiko's face.

"Well, the rain clearly won't be letting up anytime soon," Okuni remarked. "Unless you'd rather wait here all night." With that, she pulled up the hood of her cloak and gestured for Ina and Hoshiko to do the same.

 _"I can't believe this,"_ Ina thought incredulously, but she followed Okuni's lead. Bracing herself, she joined hands with Okuni and allowed herself to be led into the storm.

Their cloaks succeeded at keeping them dry for all of five seconds. As the rain pelted her face, Ina's senses gradually narrowed to nothing more than the feel of Okuni's hand in hers. Light showers like the one that had been hovering over Valora earlier were one thing. When the ocean might as well have been pouring from the sky, that was quite another matter. Ina had only bad memories associated with those storms.

Okuni squeezed Ina's hand abruptly, and Ina could just barely make out Okuni mouthing for them to stop. A moment passed, and Ina was about to ask what they were standing like statues in the middle of a downpour for when two columns of eerie blue flames erupted before them, illuminating a path. Even over the sounds of rain and thunder, Ina could hear Prinplup's startled squawk.

They started running again, and the moment they were beneath the threshold of the castle, the flames snapped out. Peering out from under the awning, Ina couldn't even make out the castle gates they must have passed through for all the rain.

Okuni cleared her throat from behind her, and Ina turned to see the castle doors opening. In that moment, she happily forgot every horror story she had ever heard about Spectra when she saw the warm, golden light emanating from the entry hall. Ina and Hoshiko barely had time to cast their sodden cloaks aside before Okuni steered them towards the throne room.

"Don't worry, your things will be taken care of," Okuni said before Ina could raise an objection. The entry hall of Spectra's castle was not overly-furnished, but Ina was willing to guess that the vases and sculptures that were on display were likely old heirlooms. One wall scroll that did catch her eye hung by the only visible set of stairs, a portrait of a dark-haired women with a Chandelure at her side.

Okuni led them to a pair of dark wooden doors inlaid with amethyst carvings of butterflies, which she knocked upon before opening. "My lady?" she called. "My apologies if I'm interrupting something."

If Ina's first impression of Spectra had been less than what she'd expected, her first impression of its infamous warlord certainly made up for it. Catching glimpses of Lady No from afar was different from being directly in her presence; feeling the aura of complete dominance radiating from every inch of her body. From her dark hair piled atop her head to the deep purple yukata cut to showcase her sensuous figure, everything about Lady No's appearance was tailored to suggest she was someone accustomed to being in control. Curling her garnet-painted lips in a half-smile at the sight of Okuni, Lady No let out a soft laugh that simultaneously captivated Ina and sent chills down her spine.

"Nothing at all, Okuni," she remarked, remaining seated on her throne. "Although you are back much earlier than I had expected. And I see you've brought us some guests."

Okuni was clearly more accustomed to whatever effect of Lady No's that Ina was currently under, because she stepped forward and gestured to both girls. "This is Lord Tadakatsu's daughter, Ina. We ran into a bit of trouble in Valora, and I'm afraid she got dragged along for the ride."

Lady No arched an eyebrow. "I'm assuming 'we' refers to yourself and this priestess?"

Surprisingly, Hoshiko didn't shrink under Lady No's scrutiny. Bowing, she said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, my lady. Okuni helped me out of a spot of trouble on the road, and spoke quite highly of you when we traveled together afterwards."

"Did she now?" Lady No murmured, and Ina could have sworn she saw a hint of a blush creeping up Okuni's neck.

"If we're through with introductions, there are several matters I need to speak with you about, my lady," Okuni said, a touch more brusquely than before.

"Of course," Lady No responded. "Why don't you show our guests to their rooms, and then report to my own. Clearly there is much we need to discuss."

Upon exiting the throne room, Ina immediately felt as though she had been lifted from some deep trance. Okuni took one look at her face and sighed apologetically. "You always remember your first time meeting Lady No. If you speak to her again while you're here, it will get easier."

Okuni led them up several flights of stairs, stopping on the fourth floor. "Both of your rooms are next to mine, so if any spirits try anything tonight, don't be afraid to shout."

The shrine maiden stopped all of a sudden, looking up. Her voice gaining an edge, she called out, "Although that's not going to have to happen, _is it?_ "

Ina gasped as a gang of Haunters and Gastlys melted out of the shadows. Okuni stared down the largest of the Haunters, and they seemed to reach an unspoken agreement. The Ghost Pokemon vanished just as soundlessly as they had appeared, and Ina found herself once again wondering just what she had gotten herself into.

"Alright, they shouldn't bother either of you," Okuni asserted. She looked back at Ina and Hoshiko and suddenly burst out laughing. "Sorry, sorry! You're both just white as sheets! It never gets old."

With that, she showed Ina into a room surprisingly similar to her one back in Valora. "Again, I'm just two rooms over," Okuni said. A wicked grin crossed her face, and she whispered, "Enjoy your stay." With that, she left Ina and her Pokemon to settle in for the night - although Ina could have sworn she heard a chuckle from the other side of the door as it closed. Turning, Ina was only vaguely surprised to see her cloak and bag already at the foot of the bed, despite the total lack of servants that appeared to be within the castle.

Looking down at Quagsire and Prinplup, Ina sighed. _"Maybe we should have just taken our chances with the demons..."_


End file.
